U-frame for ladies&#39; handbags



Feb. 14, 1950 5, on. HENKE 2,497,353

7 U-FRAME FOR LADYS HANDBAGS Original Filed April 12, 1945 I 2Sheets-Sheet 1 A6; INVENTOR.

E'TOWY.

Feb. 14, 1950 s. MCD. HENKE U-FRAME FOR LADY'S HANDBAGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed April 12, 1945 m m ma a m w h kwmm Q -m m u Patented Feb.14, w 1950 U-FRAME FOR LADIES HANDBAGS Sally McDougall Henke, Brooklyn,N. Y.

Substituted for application Serial No. 587,946, April 12, 1945. Thisapplication September 3, 1949, Serial No. 114,007

1 Claim.

This application is a substitute application for my abandonedapplication filed April 12, 1945, Serial No. 587,946.

This invention relates to a ladys handbag, and embodies certainimprovements over the construction shown in U. S. Patent 2,365,817,issued on December 26, 1944, to me.

An object of the present invention is to provide a ladys handbag with aframe, comprising hinged parts which fold against each other to closethe opening of the handbag, with self opening springs, arranged to causethe companion parts of the frame to open outwardly when the retaininglatch is manually released, and a purse ar ranged within the handbaghaving a folding closure frame connected with the springs and providedwith its own latch, all so arranged that the purse will remain closedwhen the initial opening is made of the closure frame of the handbag,but can be fully opened by a manual operation of the closure frame ofthe handbag, and

then closed fully to snap its own latch in place,

when the closure frame of the handbag is manually closed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for quicklyand adjustably connecting the closure frame of the purse to theends ofthe self-opening springs.

With the above and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnew and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts,clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view ofthe improved handbag, shown with the closure frame in closed position.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the longitudinalcentral line of the handbag, showing the inner purse structure in closedposition.

Fig, 5 is a top plan view, showing the main closure frame of the handbagopen and the closure frames of the inner purses partly open.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view thereof, illustrating the mainclosure frame of the handbag in open position, and the closure frame ofone of the purses in open position. I

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalview, showing the hand bagclosure frame and the purse frame closed.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view, showing the parts I of the closure frameof the handbag separated from each other.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end view showing these latch parts coupled .inlatched relation to each:

Referring to the accompanying drawings. which illustrate the practicalembodimentof myinvention, 5 designates the main closure frame of thehandbag, which comprises the flexible body 6 having sides 1 and 8 whichare partly separatedfrom each other at the ends of the body, in theusual manner. The main closure frame includes the U-shaped frame members9 and I9, which are pivotally connected at their lower ends ll to Theframe member 9 is provided.- With a latch bar I2, and the frame memberI9 is each other.

provided with a latch bar l3. These bars are secured to their framemembers along the top in-' The latch termediate portions of the members.bar I2 is provided with an upstanding latch pin [4,, which is engaged bythe latch button 15, which is connected to the latch bar I3 by a spring[6, of flat metal formed with, a slight curve, sothat the latch buttonIE will snap over the latch pin l4 and hold the closure frame members 9and In in closed relationto each other, thereby clos-.

ing the opening i! of the body 6.

Within the body 6 two purses l8 and I 9 are arranged, the body of eachpurse being secured to the lining of the handbag body 6, at the base ofthe purses.

The purse I6 is provided with a closure frame 20 and the purse I9 isprovided with a closure frame 2!. Each closure frame consists of U-shaped members 22 and 23, which are hinged attheir lower ends to eachother, in the usual man-- her. The adjacent inner ends of the closureframes 20 and 2| are pivotally connected to each other. The purse I8 islonger than the purse l9, but is of the same'depth. The closure frame 20is provided with'cooperating latch members 24 and 25, attached to thehinged frame members 22- and 23 thereof, and the closure frame 2| ispro-' vided with latch members 26 and 21, attached to the frame members22 and 23 thereof. These latch members latch and unlatch when lateralpressure is applied on the frame members 22 and 23, and may be ofconventional construction.

One end of the closure frame of the handbag is coupled to the outer endof the closure frame by means of the wire springs 28 and 29, and theother end of the closure frame of the handbag is coupled to the outerend of the frame 2| by means of the wire springs 30 and 3|.

Each wire. spring is provided withan upstand ing arm 32, which isinserted in the channel of the leg of U-shaped closure frame of thehandbag it engages, and this arm is hard soldered or otherwise securedto this receiving leg, so that the connection is wholly concealed by theleg, it being: understood that the frame members of the closure frame ofthe handbag are formed of sheet metal channel stock, shapedunderprocessingv operations to the required U-shaped form, accordance withconventional practice. These frame parts may also be constructed of anysubstitute materials, such as wood, plastic or the like.

Each spring is further formed with a portion- 33 which is disposed atapproximately right angl'es to the connecting end arm 32, and thisportion connects with the spring coil 34, and from this coil the springextends to provide a curved spring arm 35, which terminates in a lateraltrunnion 36. The wire spring 38 is a left end coupling spring, and thewire spring 3! is a right spring for the same end. Each end of the mainclosure frame is therefore provided with one right end spring and oneleft spring.

The two springsiill and Bi are connected to the frame members of theclosure frame of the handbag, with the spring coils or loops 34projecting toward" each other, and the curved spring arms- 35 disposedwith'their inner or concave sides confronting each other, but spaced aconsiderable distance from each other. The lower end of the spring arm-35 ofthe spring 3!! is disposed in cross Wise relation to the lower endof the spring arm 35' of the spring 3i, so that the. closure" framemember ll] of the main. closure frame of the handbag will operate theclosure frame member 23 of the purse l9, andthe' closure frame member 5of the main closure frame of the handbag'will. operate the closureframemember?! of the purse through the action of the springsv 3B. and 3!,which provide yielding coupling levers and operating' means between theclosure frame of the handbag and the closure frames of the purses.

The springs 3|] and 3| of the opposite end of the main closure frame aresimilarly connected to the frame members 9 and I9! thereof, and to theframe members 22 and 23 of the purse. l8-

Due to the fact that each spring lever has a spring coil between itsends, and the curved portions or arms are spaced apart from each other;both springs at each end of the main closure frame will be placed undertension, when the frame members 9 and II) are latched on each other;When the latch elements of the closureframe of the handbag are released,the spring coils will, together with the curved spring arms, force theframe member 9 and if! of the bag 010- sure frame apart.

When the closure frame members 9 and I 0 are" forced apart by the actionof the spring tension of the spring levers 3D and 31, the resistanceoffered. by thel-atchescof the purses will prevent the opening: ofthepurse closure frames;

With the closure frame 5 of the handbag opened to the limit establishedby the force of the spring coils and spring arms, upon manual release ofthe latch of the handbag, the user may open both purses partially orfully by applying outward pressure on the closure frame members 9 and10. thereby applying, through the spring levers 30 and 3| outwardpressure upon the closure frame members 22 and 23 of the purses, toovercome the coupling resistance offered by the latch elements of thepurses.

The user has the option of latching the purses, while keeping theclosure frame 5 of the handbag open, or of closing the purses and alsoclosing the handbag by inward. pressure upon the closure frame members 9and ID of the handbag closure frame 5.

The effective limit of the tension of the spring levers, established byclosing the handbag, is sufficientto give a generally satisfactoryopening movement for the closure frame members 9 and H) of the handbagwhen the latch means I 4, 15 has beenireleased, but insuflicienttoovercome the resistance offered by the latches of the purses.

The spring levers 30 and 3| may be. adjustably connected with theclosure frame members 22 and 23 of the purses, by means of pivot holes36a formed in the side legs of the frame. members 22 and23.

It is understood that various changes in the details of construction,their combination and arrangement, and in the selection and use of allmaterials available for the construction utilized,- maybe made, withinthe limits of the claim hereof.

Having described my invention, I claim as new:

The combination with a handbag having a. closure frame consisting ofcompanion U-shaped frame members pivotally connected to each other andprovided with means for latchingv the frame members in closedposition,.a pair of spring ten sion means having arms secured to theends of the frame members and provided with spring coils, each springtensionmeans having an outwardly curved spring arm terminating in alateral trunnion; and a purse securedin the handbag and having a closureframe. consisting of companion U-shaped frame members pivotallyconnected to each other and provided with means for" latching said framemembers in closed position, the ends of the closure frame members of thepurse being'pivotally engaged with the trunnions of the spring tensionmeans and said spring means being. disposed in crosswise relation toprovide means for opening the closure frame of. the purse after saidclosure of the handbag is opened manually.

SALLY MCDOUGALL HENKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,184,451 Hiering May 23, 19162,365,817 Henke i Dec. 26, 1944

